Pacman Feels Strong at 145 lbs

Pinoy boxing champ Manny ‘Pacman’ Pacquiao and American light welterweight boxer Brandon Rios have made weight in for their fight for the WBO International Welterweight title in Macao on Sunday.

In the weight-in Saturday morning, Pacquiao weighed in at 145 pounds (66.77 kilograms)  while Rios was at 146.5 pounds (66.45 kilograms). Rios is slightly heavier than Pacquiao.

In the weight in, pinoy boxing idol and politician Manny Pacquiao said he has nothing to worry. “My goal was 145 and I feel strong, so there is nothing to worry about,” Pacquiao said.

“I have been doing this since I was 23 years old, I’m hungry,” he added.

Coach Freddie Roach, Pacquiao’s trainer, said his fighter was “a pound more than I thought he would be” but on track to enter the ring at 149.

Brandon Rios said his making of the weight proved Roach wrong. “This message goes out to Freddie Roach who said I’m a bum, I’m a fat loser and I can never make weight — guess what, I made weight, I feel great,” Rios said.

Rios added “When you doubt me you make me stronger. [They] are worried, I’m not worried, I feel confident.”

Coach Roach reacted to Rios statement by laughing it off. He said Rios struggled to make it even though he had now moved up two weight divisions in three fights.

Roach has said “If he can’t make 147 he’s a joke.”

“He almost couldn’t make 135 or 140 and even at 147 he struggled every day, he had plastics on. This is a world title fight, you make weight,” Roach said.

Earlier, Freddie Roach and Alex Ariza got the media’s attention when they figured in a brawl highlighted by Ariza kicking the former team mate.

Roach said his confrontation with Ariza days before the fight was a “set-up’. “I just wish it never happened, to be honest with you,” Roach said.

“I think I was set up. They were on my time and they knew I was going to ask them to leave. They told me they weren’t leaving. Words were spoken, in which order I’m not sure,” Roach said.

The undercard fight will start at 8 am with the main event at The Venetian casino expected to begin around three hours later, Gma news Online reported.

Source: Gma News Online

(Image Credit: english.cri.cn)